Meaning of "boo" in a relationship

What is boo? Perhaps people around you use this word, and you have no idea why they keep using it? Maybe your boyfriend or girlfriend calls you “boo” all the time? Well, keep reading and you will learn the meaning of "boo" in a relationship and to use the slang.

Boo meaning

According to the multiple slang dictionaries, boo is an affectionate term for referring to your significant other. Mostly, people call their boyfriends and girlfriends boo, especially on social media. However, sometimes this term can also be used for expressing endearment towards your family members and close friends.

Where did the word “boo” come from?

This term is supposedly derived from the word beau, which means beautiful in French. The word had a common use back in the 18th century in England, when it meant a male admirer. Later, when the French colonization of the Caribbean islands happened, the word made its way into the Afro-Caribbean language. Recently, the slang word boo gained its popularity in Africa, including Nigeria.

Sometimes, people can use this word for defining the relationship which is not official. For example, you go on dates and do romantic stuff with some boy or girl, but you are not officially dating, and instead of calling them boyfriend or girlfriend, the slang term boo can be used.

While the word is mostly used for the romantic relationships, the use of it between friends or family members can be possible in the same way you use the word “honey” or “hun” with them. It depends on how well you know the friend, and what kind of relationship you have. Mainly, people use it when they want either to tease their friends or come up with a pet name for them.

The word “boo” is not used in a plural form, so you can not say that you have a lot of boos. Originally, the term is supposed to be used only for one person, to indicate how special this person is for you, that is why it is mostly used to refer to the closest people.

Synonyms of "boo"

The most popular slang synonym for the word "boo" is "bae", which basically means the same thing. "Bae" is a term which we use to refer to the most important person in our life, no matter if it is your significant other, crush, lover, or even best friend sometimes. It stands for before anyone else and is widely used in popular culture. The slight difference is that the word "boo" is used in real life more often, while "bae" is more of a social media term.

Some people find the words like "boo" and "bae" annoying, questioning why people are unable to say just boyfriend, girlfriend, or friend instead. However, many people, especially young ones, like using it, especially when they caption their photos on social media like Instagram. You can often stumble upon young people being like “hanging out with boo” or “just had the best date with bae” under their new photos.

Basically, boo means the same thing as bae or babe, it is an affectionate word for describing someone you love and care about, mostly spread on social media platforms by teens and young adults.